Visible index tray



Dec. 20, 1932. R. A. FURLONG VISIBLE INDEX TRAY Filed June 27, 1950 2Sheets-Sheet '1 IN VEN TOR Dec. 20, 1932. FURLQNG 1,891,378

VISIBLE INDEX TRAY Filed June 27, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR Baku:a'fl. Farm (1y,

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROLAND A. FURLONG, OFROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR TOTHE YAWMAN & ERBE MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK VISIBLE INDEXTRAY Application filed June 27, 1930. Serial No. 464,162.

This invention relates toan improved card tray for visible indexes andparticularly to the means for supporting-it slidably within a traycabinetand associated elements operativ-ely engaged with the top cardfor swing ing said plate positively away from the index cards when thetray is fully retracted and back again into engagement with said indexcards when the tray is returned'to the cabinet andmaintaining it in suchposition by positive retaining devices.

The purpose of the top plate in a visible index tray is three-fold,generally speaking, first, tooverlie the index cards so as to hold themflat when the tray is slid in and out of the cabinet, second, to act asa convenient backing for the index cards when they are thrown upwards toexpose particular cards and, third, to act as a backing for said indexcards to facilitate writing thereon. One of the principal objects of thepresent invention is to assure by positive means the functioning of thetop plate for its intended purposes at all times. In accordance with theinvention this plate is operatively engaged with the tray support andits hinge element so that the plate is positively held in overlyingrelationship .to. the index cards when the tray is not in use and ispositively moved up by the interengaging elements to its desiredposition when the tray is fully retracted and held in the desiredangular position while the cards arein use The interengaging elementsalso serve when the tray is returned/to the cabinet to move the topplate by positive actuation into its overlying relation to the indexcards,

.this movement being so timed with relation to the movement of the trayas to guard against possibility of the top plate being engaged withany'protruding part of the cabinet or the other trays suchas the drawerpulls.

The invention will be described in greater length in connection with theembodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 1 r

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a portion of a cabinet showingone tray fully retracted and the relation of the top plate thereto. I v

Figure 2 is a view on a somewhat larger scale and. in plan showing theparts illustrated in Figure 1, the cabinet being illus trated inhorizontal section, taken on the plane indicated by the line 22 ofFigure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3is a fragmentary View in side elevation with the near wall ofthe cabinet I i omitted to show the relationof parts when a tray is notquite fully retracted;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the same tray fullyretracted, apart of the tray'support being broken awayto show theinterengagement of the top plate hinge member with the tray supportwhereby the top plateis swung upwardly.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in transverse section showing therelation of the tray support to the cabinet taken on the plane indicatedthe line 55 of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The cabinet at which maysupport a bank of card trays b has. providedtherein along its side walls opposed ways cwhich may be formed ofstampedmetal pieces insertable between horizontal partitions d. Supported inthese opposed ways are tray carriers which consist of two rigid members6 connected by a cross member 6, the side members 6 having securedthereto ears which may slide in the respective ways 0. From Figure 5 itappears that the traysupport members 6 are formed as channels. the outerends ofwhich are closed as indicated in Figure l at 6 The upper flangesof these side pieces e adjacent the end walls 6 are slotted as at 6*.Each card tray 6 has at its inner end upstanding lugs b to. receive apintle f which is formed as a rod, the ends of which are bent forwardlyand upwardly as shown at f in Figure 3 to rest within the channel pieces6 of the tray support. This pintle wire f is then reversely bent asshown clearly inFigure 3' and then bent laterally to extend transverselybetween the side tray supports e. This last-named transversely extendingportion of the pintle is designated for convenience in Figure 2 as P.The .por-' tion f extends through a lug g which is secured adjacent theinner end of the top plate 9. The inner edge of the top plate at a pointbeyond the lug g is formed with upstanding lugs g disposed between thelugs 79 on the tray and adapted to receive the pintle f. The assemblydescribed is such as to interconnect the top plate I)" with the tray Z),to afford a sliding support for the tray 6 within the cabinet throughthe engagement of the reversely bent ends f of the pintle which restwithin the side supports 6 and at the same time pivotally connect thetop plate 9' with the spaced pintle members f, F. As shown clearly inFigure 3 this relationship insures that when the tray 6 is not fullyretracted the end members f of the pintle portions 7'', f are confined,respectively, between the top and bottom flanges of the side supports 6and the top plate '9 is held down over the index cards within the tray7) by the positive engagement of the reverse bends 7" of the pintleswith the top flange of the side members e. lhis is a most desirablerelationship since it insures the protection of the index cards in thetray against displacement by the protection afforded through theoverlying top plate when the tray is slid in and out of the cabinet; p

However, the improved construction goes a step further and provides forautomatic actuation of the top plate g to throw it upwardly anddownwardly at the proper times during the travel of the tray when fullyretracted and when started inwardly into the cabinet. This isaccomplished by engagement of the reversely bent ends f of the pintlesf, F, with the slots 6 in the side support members. WVhen the curved endof the sections f ride into the slots continued movement of the tray 6carries the pintle f upwardly as the'bent ends f are rocked upwardly andcreates a moment by sliding engageT ment of the ends f against the'endwalls of the slots 6 Theiends f ride up through these slots as indicatedin Fig. 4 pivoting on the pintles f. The effect of this is to throwthe'top plate gv upwardly since the pintle portion being pivotallyengaged with the top plate gand spaced from its point of pivotalattachment 7 about which it is rocking in the operation described willconstitute a lever for the purpose of throwing it upwards. Continuedmovementof the tray 6 will bring the pintle 7 against the end walls 6 ofthe side members 6 and check further movement so the angular position ofthe top plate 9 may be predetermined. hen thrown up as indicated inFigure 4 the top plate 9 may constitute a writing card and a fixedbacking for pintle ends 7 will conform freely to such movement sincethey protrude through the slots 6 and the topplate g will be swungthrough positive actuation. This'condition is desirable because there isa chance in such structures of the top plate 9' accidentally engagingwith a protuberance of the cabinet or one of the drawer pulls on thetrays above it unle'ssas in the present instance the top plate is swungaway from such parts even before the tray is moved inwardly anappreciable distance. Continued movement of the tray 6 inwardly willresult sooner or later in the top plate 9 being thrown down to theposition shown in Figure 3 and in sliding movement rearwardly of thesupport members 6 until the tray rests in its normal position within thecabinet.

Changes in detail of construction whereby the desirable resultsdescribed are obtained may be made by a skilled mechanic withoutdeparting from the invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A card index tray, meansto support the tray slidably, a top platecarried therewith, and means connected between the top plate and thetray to swing the plate automatically at predetermined times uponmovement of the tray.

2. A card index tray, means to support the tray slidably, a top platecarried therewith, a support for the tray,'and means operativelyinterposed between said support and the top plate operable automaticallyand positively to swing the top plate to predetermined positions atpredetermined times upon movement of the tray.

3. In combination with acabinet, a card indextrayjslidably supportedtherein, atop plate carried with the tray, and means to swing the topplate positively upwardly when the tray is retracted.

4:..111 combination with a cabinet, a card tray, means to mount the trayslidably in the cabinet, a top plate carried with the tray, and

means operatively interposed between the tray and the top plate to swingthe top, card upwardly when the tray is retracted. V

5. In combination with a cabinet, a card tray supported therein andadapted to slide therein, a top plate carried with the tray, means toswing the top plate upwardly when the tray is retracted and to swing,the top plate downwardly upon return movement of the tray into thecabinet.

6. In combinationwith a cabinet, astray support slidablyrmountedtherein, a card tray carried with the support, a top plate carried withthe tray, and means engaged with the top plate coacting with the traysupport to swing the top plate upwardly when the tray is retracted.

7. In combination with a cabinet, a tray support slidably mountedtherein, a card tray, a pintle carried with the tray and having its endssupported slidably in said tray support, atop plate pivotally mounted onsaid pintle, and means engaged with the top plate and coacting with thetray support to swing the top plate upwardly when the tray is retracted.

8. In combination with a cabinet, a tray support slidably mountedtherein, a card tray, a pintle carried with. the tray and having itsends supported slidably in said tray support, a top plate pivotallymounted on said pintle, and means carried with the pintle engaging thetop plate and coacting with the tray support to swing the top plateupwardly when the tray is retracted.

9. In combination with a cabinet, a slidable tray support therein, atray, a pintle engaged with the tray and carried by the tray support, atop plate carried by the pintle, means carried by the pintle engagingthe top plate at a point spaced from the pintle, and means carried withthe tray support coacting with said last-named means to swing thetopplate upwardly when the tray is fully retracted.

10. In eombinationwith a cabinet, a slidable tray support therein havinga slot, a tray, 7

a pintle engaged with the tray and carried by the tray support, a topplate carried by.

the pintle, means carried by the pintle engaging the top plate at apoint spaced from the pintle, said slot in the tray support beingenga-geable by the last-named means to throw the top plate up when thetray is retracted and downwardly when the tray is returned into thecabinet.

This specification signed this 24th day of June A. D. 1930.

ROLAND A. FURLONG.

